Summit 2023
Big Dreams. Bold Action.
NextUp Summit is our largest event of the year – a celebration of everything NextUp, our community, and our mission to Advance All Women in Business! With over 1,300 attendees annually, world-class speakers, powerful programming, meaningful opportunities to connect, and frank discussions about what we can all do to meet our own career goals, there’s nothing like Summit.
Join us for an incredibly unique experience, complete with keynote speakers sure to inspire. Summit is the event of the year, and you won’t want to miss it.
In the heart of the Windy City at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk
Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk is an urban sanctuary amid iconic attractions. Enjoy a coveted River North location near Michigan Avenue, Millennium Park, Navy Pier and the Magnificent Mile while you learn, connect, and get inspired by the three days of Summit!
In-Person
Opening Soon
Hosted by
NextUp
Location
Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk301 E North Water St.
Chicago, IL 60611
Dates
Tuesday, September 26, 2023 - Thursday, September 28, 2023
Check back!
We will continue unveiling more conference details in the next weeks.
3
Days of learning
30+
Sessions
40+
Speakers
1300+
Attendees
2022 Summit Speakers
Our 2023 lineup of extraordinary speakers is currently in the works
Katie Goodman
Comedian, Life Coach, and Author
Katie Goodman
Comedian, Life Coach, and Author
Katie Goodman is an award-winning comedian, executive life-coach, and author. Katie’s work in comedy has amassed over 3 million online views. She can be seen on Showtime, TruTV, and, more often than she would admit, in line getting a mocha latte with extra, extra whipped cream. Katie literally wrote the book on using improv comedy to improve your life. Her show “Broad Comedy” plays Off Broadway and tours nationally. Her love for self-help and comedy lands her career somewhere in between Samantha Bee and Deepak Chopra. Her work has been celebrated by Arianna Huffington, Leslie Stahl, Time Out New York, and her Pilates teacher in Brooklyn who says she is “getting better.” Besides her own book, Katie’s writing can be seen in O, The Oprah Magazine and The Huffington Post.
Improvising Through the Unknown: How to Handle Uncertainty and Win
See Agenda Wednesday, October 19
2:05 pm - 3:05 pm
2:05 pm - 3:05 pm
Samantha Mewis
Midfielder
U.S Women's National Team
Samantha Mewis
Midfielder
U.S Women's National Team
Sam Mewis is an American midfielder for the U.S Women’s National Team and the KC Current of the NWSL. Considered one of the top players in the world, Sam combines a physicality and technical ability, which is incomparable in the sport. Following a 2019 World Cup title, Sam took her talents to Manchester City, where she would help the club win an FA Cup title and would later be named the #1 female player in the world by ESPNFC for 2021. Off the field, Sam aka “Tower of Power” is a light-hearted and loving teammate, whose bubbling personality has shown through in various social media campaigns like her signature MEW-S-A Harpoon beer, US Soccer’s “So You Think You Know Sam” series and her Snacks podcast on Just Women’s Sports.
Breaking Boundaries: Equal Pay for Equal Work
See Agenda Friday, October 21
9:05 am - 9:25 am
9:05 am - 9:25 am
Chastity Brown
Musician
Chastity Brown
Musician
Chastity Brown is a storyteller in the blues tradition. The Minnesota-via-Tennessee songwriter and musician tells stories populated by marginalized characters to stake her own space as a queer black woman and to speak to other experiences oftentimes ignored. The daughter of a black blues musician and white Irish mother who was raised in Tennessee, she’s made a home in Minneapolis for more than a decade. She was signed by Red House Records and released her acclaimed album Silhouette of Sirens in 2017, going on to tour nationally and internationally, sharing the stage and supporting artists such as the Indigo Girls, Ani Di Franco, Andrea Gibson, Jayhawks, The National, and Michael Kiwanuka. Chastity Brown’s latest record, Sing To The Walls, was released in June 2022 and is available everywhere now.
Make Way for a Woman Bold
See Agenda Wednesday, October 19
4:10 pm - 4:40 pm
4:10 pm - 4:40 pm
Lorraine Stromski
SVP, Associate Learning and Leadership
Walmart
Lorraine Stromski
SVP, Associate Learning and Leadership
Walmart
Lorraine Stomski is the Senior Vice President of Enterprise Leadership and Learning for Walmart. Lorraine has over 25 years of experience in talent management. She joined Walmart three years ago and is responsible for succession, selection, leadership and learning for the Enterprise. Prior to joining Walmart, she was the Global Practice Leader for Assessment and Leadership at Aon Hewitt. In that role, she has worked with several large employers in the Fortune 500. Lorraine’s experience includes the development of global high potential programs, assessment/development centers, talent strategy, executive assessment and succession planning. Her specialties include leadership development, retention and development of top talent, top team effectiveness, executive coaching, and increasing women’s presence at the top.
Boosting Women. Building Impact.
See Agenda Thursday, October 20
10:40 am - 11:00 am
10:40 am - 11:00 am
WHAT SUMMIT ATTENDEES ARE SAYING
“[Last year's Summit] conference was amazing. I left energized and better equipped to make greater strides in my career. As a woman of color I felt like I found an organization that not only got me, but celebrated me.”
Summit Attendee
Sponsorship Opportunities
Become a sponsor of the 2023 Leadership Summit to promote your company’s name and brand in front of 1,300+ fellow leaders and show your support for All Women in Business.
Thank you to our generous 2022 sponsors
Revisit Last Year's Summit
Summit 2022
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